Informeller Brief Schreiben

preliminary note Every letter is something special and unique. It's difficult to give strict rules how to write a letter. Nevertheless, there are guidelines how to start and finish a letter. Like in English we have typical standard experssions and there are clear features which distinguish a formal and informal letter.

I'd like to give some advice how to write an informal (private) letter. I wrote this discribtion to help people to achieve the "Zertifikat Deutsch" (level: B1).

A word about the use of "du" and "Sie" As you know, we've got two different forms in German to address people:

du (you) Sie (you)

We call the use of du "duzen" and the use of Sie "siezen".

Du is used for children, friends, family members, colleagues and people at your age. Sie is used for people who are older than you and people you are not familiar with.

The use of "Sie" is a sign of respect and if I used "du" for a 70 years old woman I've never met before it would be rather offending. If you are not sure about the age of your counterpart use "Sie".

The use of "Sie", however, has become less strict than years before. When I met my colleagues in our office for the first time and they were apparently at my age I used "du" even though I'd never met them before. Another example is my table tennis club where everybody is using "du". It doesn't matter if 8 or 80 years old. We all "duzen" each other.

In the B1-exam you will always write the informal letter to a close friend. So use "du".

Thomas Hfler 2005 2009

Informeller Brief Schreiben

example letter

Thomas Hfler 2005 2009

Informeller Brief Schreiben

1: Adresse des Absenders und Empfngers (addresser of addressee)

Unlike in formal (business) letters there is no need to put your own address or the address of the receiver on the top of the letter. It's likely you and the receiver are quite close and you know your addresses. In Germany it's common to put your own address on the backside of the letter and the receiver's address on the front side.

2: Ort und Datum (location and date)

You start with the place, followed by a comma and the date.

Consider: We write in German the date in the following order: day | month | year

3: Begrung/Anrede (salutation)
Typcial salutations for an informal letter are:

German Liebe Joy, Liebe Joy, lieber Nelson, Liebe Frau Fischer, Liebe Familie Puhlmann, Hallo Doreen *, Hi Doreen *, Hallo Frau Fischer *,

English Dear Joy Dear Joy, dear Nelson Dear Mrs Fischer Dear family Puhlmann Hello Doreen Hi Doreen Hello Mrs Fischer

explanation you are quite close to this person and you use "du" you are quite close to these 2 people and you use "du" you are quite close to this person but you use "Sie" you are quite close to this whole family you write a friend or person at your age and you use "du" you write a friend or person at your age and you use "du" you write a close person older than you and you use "Sie"

* If I write an e-mail to a friend or person at my age I almost always use "hallo" or "hi". I hardly use "liebe | lieber". It's getting a bit old-fashioned. In the the exam, however, you should use "liebe | lieber" to satisfy the examiner.

Consider: The salutation ends with a comma.

Thomas Hfler 2005 2009

Informeller Brief Schreiben

4: Einleitungssatz (introduction)
Typcial introductions for an informal letter are:

German vielen Dank fr deinen Brief. Ich habe mich sehr darber gefreut. wie geht es dir? Mir geht es (nicht so) super, da ...

use

standard introducution to answer a letter

standard introducution to write a letter introducution to speak immediately about an important event

es freut mich sehr zu hren, dass ...

entschuldige, antworte,

dass

ich

erst

jetzt

auch

deinen

Brief

standard

introducution

to

answer

letter

aber ich war in letzter Zeit sehr beschftigt. ich wollte dir schon lange schreiben,

(belated answer)

standard

introducution

to

answer

letter

aber leider ist mir immer etwas dazwischen gekommen. vielen Dank fr die Bilder (das Buch | die CD ...), die du mir geschickt hast.

(belated answer)

introducution to say thank you for a present

Consider: The introductions starts with a small letter!

5: Hauptteil (main part)

There are no strict rules for the main part. In the B1-exam you will get 3 or 4 points you have to cover.

My suggestion:

make at first some short keynotes to every points to make clear what you want to say It's absolutly ok if you do it in your language. bring the 3-4 points in a logical order write 1 - 2 sentences about every point. structure your text: use e.g. for every point one paragraph It makes it much easier to read the text.

Thomas Hfler 2005 2009

Informeller Brief Schreiben

6: Abschlusssatz (closing)
Typcial closings for an informal letter are:

German Ich hoffe bald wieder etwas von dir zu hren. Ich wrde mich freuen, bald wieder von dir zu hren. Bitte antworte mir bald! Ich warte auf deine Antwort. Melde dich doch mal! Bitte gr Kristine ganz lieb von mir. Bitte gr deine ganze Familie von mir. Ich freue mich sehr darauf, dich wieder zu sehen.

use standard closing (with request for an answer) standard closing (with request for an answer) standard closing (with request for an answer) standard closing (with request for an answer) standard closing (with request for an answer) standard closing (with greetings) standard closing (with greetings) standard closing (with looking forward to meeting)

7: Gre (greetings)
Typcial greetings for an informal letter are:

German Liebe Gre Viele Gre Gru Herzliche Gre Deine Cathy

English Love Regards / Cheers Regards / Cheers Best regards Yours Cathy

explanation you are quite close to this person and you use "du" standard greetings which always fit standard greetings for a friend you are not so close standard greetings for a good friend instead of greeting + sign you can summarise it in this form

Consider: The greeting starts with a capital letter and ends without comma.

8: Unterschrift (sign)
Don't forget to put your name at the end.

Thomas Hfler 2005 2009